soeibner



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0'. E. SGRIBNER. REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES.

No. 435,526. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

mmll' (No Model.) 4 Sheets- Sheet 2.

C. E. SCRIBNER REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES.

NQ. 435,526. Patented Sept. 2. 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0. E. SGRIBNERJ/ REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES.

' No. 435,526. Patented Sept; 2, 1890.

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L/{M WM (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

0. E. SORIBNER. REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES.

N0. 435,5Z6. Patented Sept. 2; 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE IVESTERNELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO-ELECTRIG MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,526, datedSeptember 2, 1890. Application filed March 8,1886. Serial No. 194,369-(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. SCRIBNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented acertain new and useful Improvement-in Automatic Regulators forDynamo-Electric Machines, (Case 102,) of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to regulators for dynamo-electric machines, and isdesigned to maintain the current at approximately a given strength,though the resistance of the circuit may change.

The regulator which I have invented consists of a screw, a nut upon thescrew, and

mechanism for driving the screw and nut alternately or both together inthe same direction, whereby the brushes upon the commutator are movedback and forth or held at rest in response to the variations in theresistance of the lamp-circuit.

My invention further consists in certain details and combinations, whichwill be hereinafter pointed out.

In a prior application, Serial No. 163,777, filed April 28, 1885, I havedescribed, illustrated, and claimed certain features of the inventionset forth in this application. The brushes,

as is well known, are placed so as to draw off the current from oppositesides of the commutator, and any change in the position of the brushesvaries the electro-motive force of the dynamo. In order to keep thestrength of the current uniform it is necessary to move the brushes backas the resistance of the circuit is increased, and vice versa.Heretofore various devices have been used for automatically doing thiswork, but owing to various defects in the methods and mechanism theresults have not been as satisfactory as required, especially inelectric lighting, where many lamps are placed in the same circuit. Bythe use of my invention as hereinafter described I am enabled tomaintain the current in an electric-arc circuit more nearly at a uniformstrength than is possible by the use of any devices heretofore known.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa front elevation of my regula-- tor. Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof. Fig. 3 is a top view, partially in section, showing the meansfor driving the regulator and the reciprocating screw, which c.)nnectswith the brush-carrier. Fig. 4 is a sectional view as seen from line sono of Fig. 3, showing the tripping mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detailedsectional view upon line 1 y of Fig. 3, showing the screw, thescrew-carrier, the pin-feather of the screw-carrier resting in thelongitudinal groove in the screw, the nut upon the screw and frictiondevices, which tend to hold the screw-carrier and the nut at rest. Fig.6 is a detailed sectional view of the screw upon line .2 2' of Fig. 5.Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrative of the circuit. Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview illustrative of the manner of changing the position of the stepswhich engage with the triggers to reverse the direction of the screwwith a given change in current.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout thedifferent figures.

As will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3, the screw a isconnected by the rod or pitman a with the brush-carrier a andlongitudinal motion of the screw. in either direction is coininuiiicateil to the brush-carrier, and the brushes are thus carried back andforth upon the commutator. The nut b is threaded upon the screw. Movingthe nut in one direction upon the screw without revolving the screwdrives the screw longitudinally in one direction, while driving thescrew within the nut in the same direction while the nut is held at restdrives the screw longitudinally in the opposite direction. On the otherhand, if both nut and screw are revolved together in the same directionno longitudinal motion will be imparted to the screw.

The screw-carrier l) is in the form of a sleeve provided with a collaror flange next to a similar collar or flange forming a part of nut b.This carrier is connected with the screw by means of a spline or featherb fitted into a longitudinal groove in the screw. The carrier b, whenrevolved within the hearing 12 carries the screw by means of the spline13 but, as the spline is fitted to the groove in the screw, the screwmay be carried longitudinally back and forth within the carrier.

The driving-gear c is provided with two longitudinally-projeeting lugscl 6, to which are pivoted the triggers d and 6, respectively. Trigger dis normally held by the tension of spring (Z in the position shown inFigs. 8 and at, against the periphery of nut 12. The trigger e is heldin like manner against the collaror enlarged portion of the carrier 1)by spring 6 A lug or catch is provided upon the periphery of the nut anda similar lug or catch upon the carrier. Now, as the drivinggear carriesthe triggers around they engage with these catches respectively, and thenut and carrier are thus revolved together at the same rate of speed aslong as the triggers remain in engagement therewith. As beforedescribed, the carrier in its revolutions carries the screw, and hencethe screw and nut will revolve together and there will be nolongitudinal movement of the screw as long as both triggers are inengagement with their catches respectively. Now, if one of the triggersbe tripped so as to pass over its catch while the other trigger remainsin engagement with its catch, longitudinal motion will be imparted tothe screw in one direction or the other, according as one trigger or theother is tripped. Suppose, for example, trigger (Z is tripped whiletrigger e remainsin engagement with the carrier. The carrier will berevolved, and with it the screw within the nut, which nut will be heldfrom turning by the frietion devieef. (Shownin Fig. 5.) The turning ofthe screw within the nut will give longitudinal motion to the screw andthe brushes will be carried forward and the current will be therebyweakened. If, however, the trigger e is tripped while the other trigger(1 remains in engagement with the nut, the nut will be carried aroundupon the screw, while the screw will be held from turningbythe frictiondevice f, (shown in Fig. 5,) which presses against the flange providedupon the outer end of the screw carrier, as shown, and, the nut beingthus revolved upon the screw, the screw will be drawn longitudinally ina direction opposite to the direction given when the trigger d istripped and the brushes will be moved backward upon the commutator, thusin creasing the strength of the current.

In order that the one or the other of the triggers may be tripped as theresistance of the are varies, I have provided the electro-magnet g inthe circuit of the machine, which magnet operates the balance-levers hand h, moving them back and forth into and out of the paths,respectively, of the outer ends of the triggers. Thus as the currentthrough magnet g increases, its armature is attracted against the forceof the retractile spring and the levers, h h are moved with the armatureto bring the point 7L2 into the path of lever d while point 71 iscarried outside the path of the trigger c. The resultis that the nut isdriven upon the screw and the screw is carried back longitudinally andthe brushes are adjusted forward upon the commutator, so as to weakenthe current, as before described. Now the eleetro-motive force, andconsequently the strength of the current, being reduced, the armaturewill recede from the poles of electro magnet g, until finally thetripping of trigger (1 will cease, and both triggers remaining inengagement with their respective catches the screw and nut will becarried together in the same direction and no longitudinal motion willbe given to the screw, and the brushes will remain at rest. It, now, theresistance of the circuit be diminished the levers h and h will be movedstill farther and farther until point 71, is brought into the path oftrigger c, and said trigger 6 will be tripped out of engagement with thecatch upon the carrier. The nut will then be revolved upon the screw,while the screw, held from revolving, as before described, will be movedlongitudially in the opposite direction from that given when the triggerd is tripped, and the brushes being thus adjusted backward upon thecommutatoran increase of electro-motive force will be obtained, therebyincreasing the strength of the current until the force of magnet: g issu fficient to draw the armature toward its poles. The armature beingthus moved the levers 7t 7t will becarried with it untiltriggereisnolonger tripped, and trigger 6 will thus be brought into engagementwith its catch upon the periphery of the collar of the screw-carrier. Itwill thus be seen that as the strength of the current throughelectro-magnet 9 increases the brushes are moved upon the commutator ina direction to reduce the electro-motive force of the current, and hencethe strength of the current passing through said electromagnet g. On theother hand, decrease in the strength of the current throughelectromagnet g causes the brushes to move in a direction to draw offmore current or increase the electro-motive force of the current andthus increase the strength of the current through the electro-magnet g.If, however, the currentpassing through the electro-magnet is of thedesired strength, neither trigger will be tripped and the brushes willremain at rest until there is sufficient variation to move the balancedlevers h h in one direction or the other. The levers may be adjusted bymeans of the screws 1' i or in any other suitable manner. It should beobserved that the spring 7c is attached to the pivoted arm 7;. This arm,and hence the tension of the spring, may be adjusted by means of thescrew 70 The dash-pot k is designed to steady the motion of the balancedlevers.

The spring 70 being at so great a distance from the fulcrum may beadjusted so as to almost exactly counterbalance the action of theelectro-magnet, which varies greatly according to the distance of thearmature from the poles of the magnet.

In the foregoing description I have assumed,

which is ordinarily the case, that the variations in the resistance ofthe current may be compensated and controlled by changing the brushesback and forth between the points of maximum and minimum current uponthe commutator. It may happen, however, that the change in theresistance of the circuit will be so great that a change between themaximum and minimum of eleetro-moiive force of the machine will not besufficient to compensate for the variation in resistance so as to bringthe current to the strength required. In such case the regulator asabove described would tend to carry the brushes back of or in front ofthe maximum or minimum points upon the commutator, as the case might be,thus making the strength of the current vary still more. In order toavoid this, I have provided for locking the screw and nut togetherbefore the brushes pass the minimum point on the commutator, and alsomeans for locking the carrier and nut together before the brushes passthe maximum point upon the commutator. In either position the nut andscrew will be revolved together in the same direction, and hence nolongitudinal motion will be imparted to the screw.

As shown in Fig. 3, pins Z and Z are provided upon the screw and nut,respectively. .As the screw is moved longitudinally to bring the brushestoward the minimum point, these pins Z Z are brought nearer together andso adjusted that when the brushes reach the minimum point these pinswill engage, so that the screw and nut will turn together, the frictionof the piece f being overcome, and hence no longitudinal motion will begiven to the screw and hence the brushes cannot pass beyond the minimumpoint. Suppose the screw moving in the opposite direction and carryingthe brushes toward the maximum point of the commutator. The check-nut atwill gradually approach the screw-carrier 1) until it will press againstthe same. The screw-carrier will thus be forced longitudinally againstthe pressure of the friction device f toward the nut b.

Upon theopposing ends of the carrier and nut, respectively,l haveprovided the pins or projections n and n, and as the brushes reach themaximum point the lugs or projections n and n are brought intoengagement. The carrier and nut, and hence the nut, the screw, and, thecarrier, are thus locked and turn together, the friction offriction-piecef and f being overcome, and therefore no furtherlongitudinal movement can be given to the screw, and the brushes willnot pass the maximum point upon the commutator.

Through each lever two openings are provided for the adjustable dogs orstops which trip the triggers. By placing the stops into theiroppositeholes so that the stop 71, in lever h is placed in the hole to triptrigger e instead of trigger d, the other stop 7.33 can then be placedin the hole of lever h, when it will come in the path of trigger dinstead of e, as shown in Fig. 8. The result of this change is toreverse the direction of the screw with a given change in current. To bemore explicit, a strengthening of the electro-magnet Q will attract itsarmature and move the balance-lever system against the force of thespring, bringing the stop 7L2 into the path of trigger 6, thus trippingthe screw and permitting it to stand at rest while the nut continues torevolve, thereby moving the screw in a direction to move the pitman awayfrom the regulator. The object of this reversibility is to permit theregulator to be used on a dynamo-machine whose armature may be revolvedin either direction. These two levers operate together, and together maybe term ed a tripping mechanism.

Any convenient means may be employed for furnishing power to drive myregulator. I preferably use, however, the belt and pulley devices shownin Figs. 1,2,and 3, which I will now describe. The shaft 0 turns in itsbearing 1), and is provided with the piston, which meshes with the largegear-wheel c, as shown. The pulley q is loose upon the shaft and isdriven by a belt or cord which is connected with the engine or motor.The clamp 0" may be adjusted longitudinally upon the shaft by means ofthe nut s. This clamp, when adjusted, 'as shown, against the pulley, iscarried with the pulley, and the clamp being provided with a splicewhich fits the longitudinal groove in the shaft, as shown, the shaftwill .be revolved with the clamp. The regulator will thus be driven aslong as the clamp and pulley thus remain in frictional engagement.

I believe myself to be the first to cause the variations in the strengthof an electro-magnet in the circuit of the machine to operate anarmature lever or levers, or other device, which is thus brought intoand out of the path of a portion of the regulating mechanism.

\Vhatever the details of the device or devices that may be used forregulating the position of the brushes, 1 wish it to be understood thatmaking the armature-lever,which is brought into and out of the path ofthe tripping or other adjusting portion of the regulating mechanism,free to move in response to the variations in the strength of thecurrent without obstruction, as hereinbefore described, is in itself newand a-principal feature of the invention herein described. By thusmaking the action of said armature-lever or other device free andunobstructed, it is evident that the most perfect, prompt, and delicateregulation of the brushes is secured, since the said armaturelevcr orother device is free to instantaneously change from one position toanother at the slightest variation in the magnetic force of theelectro-magn ct.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the brushes and commutator ofa dynamo-electric machine, of.

an electro-magnet included in the circuit of the machine, thearmature-lever of said electro-magnet, which directly respondstovariations in the strength of the current of the machine, and the drivenregulating mechanism, controlled by the position of said armature-lever,said armature-lever being in its movements unobstructed by the saidregulating mechanism, and free to move into and out of the path oftrigger mechanism forming a part of said regulating mechanism, wherebythe brushes are moved backward and forward upon the commutator inresponse to variations in the strength of the current.

2. The combination, with an electro-magnet included in the circuit of adynamo-electric machine, of the armature-lever of said electro-n'iagnet,tripping mechanism into and out of the path of which the saidarmaturelever is free to vibrate in response to the variations in themagnetic force of its electromagnet, the commutator of the machine, thebrushes, and driven regulating mechanism intermediate of the trippingmechanism and brushes, whereby the current of the machine is maintainedat approximately the same strength, though the resistance of the circuitmay vary.

The combination, with a wheel and mechanism for driving the same, oftriggers carried upon said wheel, screw mechanism controlled by saidtriggers and connected with the brush-carriers, the circuit of themachine including an electro-magnct, and the balanced armaturelevers ofsaid eleetro-magnet free to move into and out of the path of saidtriggers, respectively, whereby the brush-carrier is adjusted to movethe brushes backward and forward upon the commutator in response to thevariations in the strength of the said electro-magnet to maintain thecurrent at approximately the same strength.

4. The dynan'io-electric-machinc regulator consisting of thecombination, with an electromagnet in the circuitof the machine, and thearmature-lever of said electro-magnet, f

tripping mechanism, into the path of which the said armature-lever isintroduced and withdrawn by the action of said electro-magnet,constantly-driven screw mechanism connected with the said triggermechanism and controlled thereby, and the commutator, brushes, andbrush-carrier, to which said screw mechanlsm is connected, whereby thestrength of the current of the machine is maintained approximatelyuniform.

5. Adynamo-regulator consistingofascrew, a nut upon the screw, a driverin constant motion, triggers or carriers moved by the said driver, thecarriers or triggers respectively engaging with the screw and the nut,anelectro-magnet in the circuit of the dynamo, its armature-lever placedwith reference to the carriers to trip the one or the other, or neither.as it occupies a different position in its excursion to and from itselectro-magnet, whereby the screw may be caused to move in one directionor the other to produce automatic regulation.

6. A screw mechanically connected with the brushes of a dynamo-electricmachine, with a nut placed upon said screw,said screw and nut beingrevolved in the same direction, in combination with mechanism fordriving the same, said mechanism being adapted for alternate engagementwith the said screw and nut, respectively, whereby reciprocallongitudinal movement of the screw is effected to adjust the position ofthe brushes upon the commutator.

7. In an electric-current regulator, a screw.

with a nut placed thereon, said screw and nut being revolved in the samedirection, in combination with mechanism adapted to engage alternattdywith said screw and nut, respectively, whereby the screw is driven inone direction or the other accordingly as the driving mechanism engageswith said screw or said nut, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

lin witness whereof l.hereuntosubscribc my name this 1st day of March,A. D. 1886.

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. BARTON, EUGENE E. Pnossmc.

